Experiments in political science

Damien Bol

Chapter 16 in Handbook of Experimental Methods in the Social Sciences, 2026, pp 533-548 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: When political scientists want to conduct an experiment, they usually resort to doing it through a survey. They administer questionnaires to a large number of subjects, forming representative samples of the population of one or more countries, and include some randomized elements such as different question wordings or additional bits of information. With this procedure, they can estimate the causal effect of these elements on subsequent survey responses. In this chapter, I propose an introduction to survey experiments for social scientists who are considering conducting one for their own research. I discuss its different variations, advantages, but also limitations. I aim to provide as many practical tips as possible, drawn directly from my own experience as a researcher. Towards the end, I also briefly discuss how political scientists use other types of experiments and reflect on the main challenges for survey experiments in the future.

Keywords: Representative Sample; Sample Size; Incentives; Attention Checks; Manipulation Checks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035312627
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